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France okays warship sale to Russia

France’s Defense Ministry has announced that Moscow is seeking to buy three more Mistral class warships from Paris, after reports of an agreement on the sale of one ship.

The Monday announcement may spark fresh concerns in Tbilisi, which had opposed the negotiations over purchase of the 21,300-ton amphibious assault ship.

Georgia and Russia engaged in a brief war in August 2008 over the breakaway region of South Ossetia and have been at odd ever since, despite a French-brokered peace deal that ended the conflict.

“France has agreed to sell one Mistral warship to Russia,” a Defense Ministry official told reporters on Monday.

“It’s no longer one command ship, but four,” AFP quoted Jacques de Lajugi, head of international sales at the French Defense Ministry’s arms production department, as adding later.

Lajugie went on to note that the agreement green-lighted the sale in principle but added that a detailed decision would be needed at political level.

The latest move is in line with Russia’s new drive to modernize its military hardware.

On Friday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approved a military doctrine that highlighted NATO’s eastward expansion as threatening its national security and reaffirmed Moscow’s right to preemptive use of nuclear weapons in the event of substantial threats.

Western allies of France, which is a NATO member state, have expressed concerns over Paris’ eagerness to secure the deal, fearing that the weapons could be used against their forces.

The Mistral, which can mobilize helicopters, troops, and tanks, is estimated to cost EUR 300 million to EUR 500 million.

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